Thousands of people rallied in Rome on Saturday against a proposed bill giving gay couples legal recognition and adoption rights. Organisers estimated that two million had attended from across Italy for the ‘Family Day’ rally, which featured conga-dancing Catholic priests. Last Thursday parliament began considering proposals to give heterosexual and homosexual partnerships rights, including being allowed to adopt each other’s children and to inherit their partner's pensions. Last week, Pope Francis entered the debate, defending traditional marriage as ‘the family God wants’. Hence this rally was named ‘Family Day’ as opposed to rallies across Italy last week demanding legal recognition for same-sex couples. Italy is the last major Western nation not to give legal recognition to same-sex couples. Many of those attending the rally held up banners saying ‘It is wrong even if it becomes law’. See also: